Chapter Fifteen

I woke up and looked at the time. 10 o'clock. Something was off. Telephone should've woken me up. Why wasn't a guy informing me of my wake-up call. Then I remembered last night. Him and Lydia. They are probably still sleeping. Together. Ugh. It made me sick.

That picture in my head, was a great wake up call, so I got up, got dressed, and went downstairs for some late breakfast. While I was getting dressed, I noticed a couple of more bruises, but didn't think much of it.

I had some light breakfast, I wasn't really hungry, so I tried to find one of those wooden bars in the open. Finding one, that was situated on the other side of the resort, the one I still haven't explored. I sat on those bar chairs and waited for the bartender.

His back was turned to me, so I cleared my throat in the most subtle way I could, and he turned around. He was cute and looked around my age. Probably his summer job.

"What can I get you, miss?"

"I don't know. What would you get me, that��s non alcoholic?"

He took a glass and started cleaning the glass, "Hm…. Well, looking at you, I'm going to go, maybe a Paloma Fizz Mocktail."

I laughed. The name was hilarious. Like my life.

"Great. Make me that one."

I realized the upper part of the chair was movable, so I started turning left and right, while I waited for my drink.

"So, as a bartender you must hear all kinds of stories," I started the small talk.

He chuckled, "Yup."

"What's the best story you've heard?"

He looked like he wasn't sure whether he could say something. Whether he was allowed and wasn't going to get fired for spilling the beans.

"Oh, come on, there's no one around, besides you and me. I'm not going to say anything."

I gestured zipping my mouth.

He looked at me suspiciously, then gave up, and came closer to me, like he was telling me some super-secret information, "There's this rich dude that comes here for his vacation, every year. He's like the extremely rich guy, and every time he comes, he brings a different woman with him, that's like half his age."

"Of course," I agreed, and leaned in, to hear him better.

"So, one night he came in and, bear in mind that all of his girls are like, pardon me, but have big boobs, lips, nails, I mean everything is big and fake, and he came in with one of his girls and sat for a couple of drinks, before dinner. He and his girl were chatting, laughing, or she was laughing at his horrible jokes…"

"The things you do for money, right?" I interrupted him.

He laughed, and continued, "So, the girl goes to the bathroom, and this dude doesn't waste his time. He approaches the girl, in the far end, that he was checking out, and they exchange like few words, and she leaves. He comes close to me and tells me to tell that girl, when she comes back from the bathroom, that he will be back soon, that he was making a phone call, and winks at me."

"And what did you do?"

"Well, I told her that he was making a phone call. I wasn't going to risk my job because of some idiot."

"Yeah, smart thinking."

"But the girl didn't believe me, so she starts asking me questions, cause she noticed him checking out that other woman."

"I tried to, like, assure her she was wrong, and at that moment the other woman comes back, with no sign of the dude. I had another customer, so while I was making a cocktail for that other person, I see the other woman approach this one, and I hear her say something like 'He's asleep, go.'"

He put down the glass, he was cleaning for the past 5 minutes, and took another one.

"What?" This was some juicy stuff, "What happened next, come on, give me the juicy details."

"Yeah, I know. We found out tomorrow, that they drugged him with some sleeping pills and robbed him. Both. They were like sisters or something."

"Wow."

"Yup. So, what's your story?"

I sighed, "Oh, nothing as interesting, as that."

"Everyone's life is interesting to someone."

He was right.

I wasn't sure whether I should tell my story to a stranger. Then again, he was a stranger, and I'll probably never going to see him again. The first time I found out about my illness I didn't want to tell anyone. Partially, because I didn't want anyone to feel sorry for me, and partially because it was private. Then, in high school, when I thought I had a big circle of friends, I still didn't want to start the conversation and friendship with: "Hi, everyone, my name is Jessica, and I just got back from chemo. What did you do today?".

The only time I told them, was when people kept asking me why I looked so pale and sick, and I was tired of everything, and stopped caring if anyone knew.

"I'm sick," I said, looking at my drink.

"Oh, do you want me to get you something else, maybe it's not a drink for you," The panic on his face was hilarious.

I smiled weakly, "No, no. I'm sick. "

"Oh," his face changed from panic to confusion.

"I mean I'm sort of sick. I'm supposed to be in remission, but somehow, I doubt that. I've been tricked before," I laughed sarcastically.

"Oh," he repeated.

"And on top of that, like a cherry on top, I think, I think I feel something more than I should, for the person I shouldn't feel more than I should. You get me?"

"Oh, I get you sister." Now that was a face of a person who's feeling sorry.

"I see you've been burnt."

"Oh, yeah." This was so my friend. We were connecting on so many levels.

"Do you think it's possible to love two people at the same time?"

"Of course. Love, but not in love," he put the second glass down.

"I didn't even think I liked him like that."

"When did you realize?" He picked the same glass up.

"You've cleaned that glass already," I pointed at the glass.

He laughed and picked another.

"Last night."

"What happened last night."

"I heard him with another woman."

"Ah, there isn't a better sign to show you are in love with someone, than jealousy."

"I felt like he stabbed me in the chest, with like the biggest knife. I mean he had the right to the whatever he wanted, and from what I gathered she was like his ex-girlfriend, or something, and you should see her… She's beautiful."

He nodded, and I continued, "I mean, even though I don't really have the right to be jealous, he's not my boyfriend, I just couldn't help it."

"We are allowed to feel, whatever we feel."

"Just not act on it, right?" I added.

"Does he know you're sick?"

"He's my doctor. He operated on me, apparently."

"Wow. That's some complicated stuff."

"Tell me about it."

"And, who's the other woman?"

"You mean the red bombshell, who looks like she stepped out a magazine?"

"Damn, that's your competition?" He shook his head.

"Yup. It's his ex-girlfriend, who I'm guessing he can't get out off his head. You wouldn't either."

"I'm gay," he stated plainly.

I was not expecting that. I started laughing, and he joined me.

"Oh, but I think you are right. I'm not going to get her out of my head any time soon," he looked at me, and pointed with his head in the direction behind me.

I stopped laughing and turned around. There she was, posing on the steps. With the wind in her hair, and sun shining on her, she just needed a photographer and she was ready for a magazine shoot and cover.

"You've got to be kidding me? Do you see what I see?"

"Damn, girl. I mean, don't get me wrong, you're beautiful too, but she's…." he was loss for words. I mean if I gay guy was telling me this.

Soon, Zachary appeared behind her.

"And that's him?"

I felt butterflies in my stomach, just at the sight of him. When will it stop happening? Butterflies, go away, you are not welcomed.

"Yup."

"Damn girl, he's gorgeous."

I turned around and faced him. I couldn't stand looking at the couple any second more.

"I know. They are quite a couple."

"Shit, he's spotted you, and they're coming towards you," He looked at me, with panic in his eyes.

"Act natural."

He nodded and grabbed the glass again to clean it.

"You've cleaned that one before, man."

"Oh yeah, "he dropped that one, and switched to making a, what I assumed, fake cocktail.

I laughed internally. He was funny. I also realized I didn't ask for his name. I'll do that later, when the danger passes.

"Jessica," I heard Zach's deep voice. Again, with that sexy voice. He put his hand on my back, "How did you sleep?"

"Well, I had some hard time falling asleep, there were some weird noises that kept me awake. I thought maybe it was some animal, but I think they came from the room next to me. Did you hear it, as well, Zach?"

What did I just say? Why did I say it? The bartender shared my opinion, because he looked at me like "Girl, no." "You did not just say that" he said under his breath. But I heard him.

Zachary cleared his throat, but before he had the chance to say something Lydia spoke instead of him, "Yes, sorry that was me. I'll try and be more quiet next time."

That bitch. Ok, you wanna play, let's play.

"No need, just try and sound a little less sluty next time."

Her face turned red in anger, in a matter of second. She opened her mouth, to say something back, but the bartender interrupted her, cooling this all off, "Would you like something to drink, ser?" I looked at the bartender and mouthed a thank you.

"No, thank you." Zachary replied. He looked at me angrily. I knew why he was angry. He thought I had no right to speak to her like that. I didn't share his opinion. I have the right to speak however I like, to whomever I want to. Especially to some bimbo, who was making me angry.

"We are going to have some breakfast, are you coming?" He said sternly.

"I've already eaten."

Lydia snorted mockingly.

"Fine. Will you be here in 30 minutes? We can go and…"

"Actually, I have plans," I interrupted him, and pointed at the bartender, "He…."

"Dan…", the bartender helped me out.

"Dan and I have some plans."

"He's working," Zack stated.

"Oh, It's not my shift, I'm just helping out a friend. My shift is later."

Zack looked at him suspiciously, "Fine, call me if you need me."

I saluted him, "Sure."

The two of them left, hand in hand, and I turned to Dan, "Thanks for that." I wanted to thank him properly now.

"No problem. So, what are we going to do?" He asked me.

"Oh, you weren't lying?"

Dan laughed, "No."

"Oh, I don't know. You have any idea. I'm new here."

"Hm, I few. Can you wait for 10 minutes to finish this, and we can go."

"I mean, I don't have anywhere to be. I'll just finish this drink and watch you clean the same glass 10 times."

"Ha ha," he playfully mocked me.